Babu the Dilated Junkie

While Dilated Peoples fans await the group’s new Neighbourhood Watch platter to emerge from the lab, group DJ Babu has given them a little something to digest in the meantime. Much like the first volume of Duck Season, Babu has corralled some of the best underground hip-hop around and served it up mix-tape style. Despite the presence of tracks by Gang Starr and Jaylib that have been rinsed on any self-respecting hip-hop radio show this past summer, much of Duck Season 2 exposes the listener to unheard material mostly produced by DJ Babu himself. Dilated homie Rakaa’s "End to Means,” Chace Infinite’s industry reality check "Do For Self” and Defari’s exquisite remix of "Behold My Life” are highlights underlining the turntablist’s ever-improving production skills. While he displays an affinity for a guest list that’s heavy on the West Coast underground bias the level of quality is largely impeccable and he does make room for Mobb Deep affiliations and Talib Kweli in fine mic-wrecking form on "Raise the Bar.” Toss in shout outs from everyone from Babu’s son to DJ Premier and an impressive vinyl rubbing session with the Beat Junkies making up for the scarce representation earlier in the set, Duck Season 2 succeeds as both an adrenalin rush and a notice of artistic growth.